November 10, 2000

'Ethnomathematics,' Now and Then

To the Editor:

I agree with the practice of including the total history of math in every course, at every opportunity ("Good-Bye Pythagoras?," October 6). ...

That said, I feel that it is important to note that ... the Greeks literally transformed the course of history and science with their use of the Pythagorean theorem. It is true that they obtained it from the Orient, but -- in my opinion -- it is what they did with it that is so noteworthy. While inductive reasoning

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